Expanded Pathways

An Attitude of Gratitude

December 16th, 2011

Of course, we’ve all heard that creating an attitude of gratitude is healing. And as Meister Eckhart says, “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”

Gratitude and thankfulness are on my mind these days. In part because of this graphic I saw. It caught my attention.

Normally I’d gloss over this kind of picture. But this one stopped me in my tracks.

I actually sat back and thought about it… Really, what if I woke up tomorrow with only those things (and people) I actually consciously gave thanks for today? The picture that came up in my mind was a little bleak.

It doesn’t take much to stop and consciously note one’s gratitude or thankfulness about something or someone. Sure, we can create those gratitude journals, or sit in meditation focused on what we hold dear… sending gratitude out to the Universe. Those things are great. But we can also very simply just take a beat and acknowledge — even to ourselves — what is right there in front of us.

So I started reminding myself to be more conscious about how I was interacting with my environment and all the people and things that were there in my life. And sure, I’ve been catching myself every now and again letting things stream by me without really being aware of their importance or how I’m being positively affected by them. But when I do catch myself in that, I take myself back to the thought, “what if that was no longer a part of my experience because I didn’t acknowledge it somehow?” And then I send a silent thank you prayer out from my heart.

The truth is I’m not one to keep a gratitude journal. I’ve tried, but it gets forgotten easily. I do a lot better sitting in meditation, opening my heart. And, I actually find that reminding myself to be “thankful” holds an energy that is easier for me that using the word “gratitude.” I’m not sure why, but it is.

But being thankful for what is a part of my life is becoming pretty darn easy as I work on it. And all it takes is a simple thought that actually does lift my spirit and brings a smile to my face.

So, what are you thankful for today, that you want to be sure is with you tomorrow?

Tags: gratitude, Meister Eckhart, thankfulness
Posted in Expanding the Spirit | 2 Comments »

December’s Energy Update: Inner Awareness

November 30th, 2011

We roll into December with some big energy for some big growth on the personal level.

November 24^th’s new moon, solar eclipse and the beginning of mercury going retrograde set up a cosmic opportunity to really dig in and work with some of the issues that keep coming around and around in our lives.

My sense of that combination of energies was a powerful opening for something new to begin. We’re still working with this energy, looking at what it is that’s creating within. And we know that with new beginnings there is always a shift away from something known which takes courage and commitment. But the excitement that can be felt with this energy can truly spur us on into something new and healing.

The Universe is creating some space for us to clear the pathway and take a big step forward into some new energy. This isn’t always easy but there is a great deal of support. What it will take to meet this energy is to simply become aware of the place that you are working in your own personal and spiritual growth and bring as much awareness to it as you can. In other words stick with the process!

And as you do, let the energy and the energetic information you find about yourself unwind. As you sit with this energy and allow it, you will begin to see the energetic structures and/or processes you have been operating from so you can set some new intentions for yourself.

I can’t say this enough…spend time over the next few weeks and go within.

I know you may be thinking you’re way too busy for this right now, or that now is not the right time… but you’ll be glad you put your healing as a priority as we move through the month.

Journal, meditate, schedule a session or “get deep” and have in-depth conversations about how you feel and what you want in life with those you really trust and who will simply listen. Do whatever it takes to help you notice what you are feeling and thinking.

And as you do those things, look at where you are working energetically. We all do this naturally, this transforming of energy. Pay attention as you recognize what’s going on with you. When you so, you’ll start to make connections between things and find those “aha” moments about yourself. That’s growth right there.

As I look at the energy right now I just feel this flow. It’s a deep current that begs us to work with it. I can’t really see beyond that at the moment because to work with it we must be in the now. So, see if you can find that energy too as you dip into the energetic river of your own process.

The Solstice is December 21^st (9:30pm pdt). This to me is where we will feel a shifting of the energy. But until then I think it is best to be sure you are giving yourself time to process and transform your energy.

I love the Solstice time. The energy is palpable, and if you can sit in meditation at the time of the Solstice you will most likely feel something shift.

The energy we work with at the Solstice is partly Soul energy work and partly what I recognize as an “architectural” energy – the energetic building blocks to help us create anew.

It’s a very powerful time. And the work that we’re doing over the next few weeks with all this processing is leading up to the Solstice, and to what each of us is creating for ourselves at this very deep level.

It’s like revising the energetic plan for us and pulling that into our being. If we make a decision now for something new, we need the next few weeks and the energies set in place from the new moon, eclipse and mercury’s retrograde and re-thinking to do the necessary work.

Finding the balance with all of this can be hard, especially with the busy holidays. But to do so will give you a gift like no other this season of light.

That’s it for now, but you can check in with me through Facebook to get further energetic updates as I get them! Or contact me for some energy work.

Take care,

Tags: December energy update, inner awareness, journaling, meditate, mercury retrograde, solstice, Winter Solstice
Posted in Expanding the Spirit | No Comments »

3 Reasons Why You Should Slow Down and Be Working With Your Energy

November 29th, 2011

I know, I know. There’s a whole lot going on these days.

Our modern society often runs counter to our energy and instinctual way of operating. And particularly for those of us in the northern hemisphere, where now the days are short, we have to find the balance between moving within and saving our energy and the draw to be social and busy throughout the holidays.

But there are some really good reasons why you should take time to slow down and work with your energy now…even if you think you are just too busy. We have several energetic “events” doing their best to capture our attention and practically corner us into doing the work of self healing.

So, here’s a short list of 3 reasons why you should slow down and be working with your energy right now. (Plus a few ways you might do that!)

Mercury is retrograde (November 24-December 13)

Mercury’s retrograde always gives us the change to re-think, re-envision, respond to our energy in new ways. But to do that we must tune-in and follow the energetic path within us to see where the work needs to be done.

This inner work isn’t hard to find. It often finds us. What it does take is some commitment to your own process and making time to simply sit with what you are experiencing — without judgement.

Follow the flow of what is within to get in touch with how you feel (physically or emotionally). And then stay with the energy to follow the path that your own energetic intelligence and higher self can show you. Let the energy show you what inner transformation can take place which will bring in a flow of new energetic information for you to then act upon.

Mercury’s retrograde is cause alone to slow down and spend time with your energy. It has a tricky way of bringing you what you need to look at in your life. So you might as well take a pro-active stance. My experience is when we actively seek out what change is needed, it’s a whole lot easier!

The Solstice is in a few weeks (December 21st )

Whether you are about to celebrate the winter or summer solstice, it’s a big energetic event. Most people don’t celebrate this as a bona fide holiday, but maybe they should!

Those who do celebrate the solstice know it is an energetic event. In fact, the energetic shift is palpable. And the energy brings with it a transformative power. How could it not?!

But again, this type of energetic shift needs to be worked with. Often as we gear up to the solstice we begin to feel that vibrational shift starting its process and we begin to process right with it. The type of healing that we do with this solstice energy is usually geared toward our deeper creative process…what we want to create at that Soul level. And these being the transformational times that they are, this type of clearing out comes on top of countless waves of change that keep asking us to stay focused on, and working with, this soul-purpose energy.

So, your job over the next few weeks is to stay aware of your process; but also begin to ask yourself what creative forces want to move through you. It’s a perfect combination to the mercury retrograde energy and cleaning house as you set the stage for what can be ushered in with the power of the Solstice energy. (Stay tuned to this blog for some ritual ideas for the Solstice.)

Your “horizontal” energy and energetic boundaries need to stay clear in times of change.

We often energetically work more vertically when we are doing the kind of growth and healing that I mentioned above with the mercury and solstice energy transforming us around our Soul work. But we also transform as we encounter energy from other people’s energy and ideas, as well as through societal changes. And to me, that energy flow is more on a horizontal axis.

And change is truly a’foot in that arena.

So, be on the lookout for your own energy moving out all around you. How clear is your energy field? How are you tied into (on an energetic level) what is happening with people around you? Are you getting triggered or can you stay centered and hold a more integral view of what is going on around you. In other words can you keep enough awareness of how you need to grow inside of, and with, what is transforming around you?

This takes effort and a daily – if not hourly – checking in with your energy, and then working with what you do get triggered by. It also can best be served if you slow down and really tune into what you are thinking and feeling… make the connection within.

If you’d like to learn to work with this energetically, I have a home study energy work course to help you tune into your own energy and learn a powerful, yet simple tool to get information for yourself about what’s going on within.

The truth is, there is no shortage of reasons these days to be slowing down enough to notice what is truly within your awareness and then working with your energy — that energetic and vibrational information that is within and all around you. It does take some multi-tasking as you focus on the energy for your growth across all levels of who you are. There’s change happening at just about every level of our awareness these days.